Glendale arena shifts name from Jobing.com to Gila River Arena

The home of the newly-renamed Arizona Coyotes will now be known as the Gila River Arena, pending a Sept. 9 approval by the Glendale City Council.

“We are looking forward to having Gila River’s prestigious and reputable name associated with our great hockey team and our state-of-the-art arena,” said Coyotes Co-owner and CEO Anthony LeBlanc in a press release. “This will be a great fit for both the Coyotes and Gila River Casinos.”

The deal is the first tribal naming rights deal for a venue housing a major sports team.

“Gila River Casinos places a great deal of importance on being a good partner in the communities we work and live in, and this partnership provides the perfect opportunity to support long term economic growth and development to the city of Glendale and the state of Arizona,” said Deborah Griffin, president of the Gila Casinos Board of Directors.

A separate deal to increase advertising, marketing and merchandising at the arena was also agreed.

Financial terms for both deals were not disclosed.

The 17,000-plus seat arena was built in 2003 at a total cost of $220 million. It has been the center of a debate about the future of hockey in Arizona for years, as the Coyotes have an average attendance among the lowest in the NHL. Rumors had circulated for years about the team possibly moving, but new ownership has said it is committed to keeping the team in Glendale.

In addition to hockey, the facility also hosts concerts.

The arena is part of Glendale’s entertainment and retail district, the Westgate City Center.